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Planta Med 2010; 76(15): 1778-1783
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1249930
Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
Original Papers
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

The Molecular Cloning of Dihydroartemisinic Aldehyde Reductase and its Implication in Artemisinin Biosynthesis in Artemisia annua

Anna-Margareta Rydén1 , 2 , 3 , Carolien Ruyter-Spira2 , Wim J. Quax1 , Hiroyuki Osada4 , Toshiya Muranaka4 , Oliver Kayser5 , Harro Bouwmeester6
  • 1Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
  • 2Plant Research International, Wageningen, The Netherlands
  • 3Kihara Institute for Biological Research, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
  • 4Chemical Biology Department, Antibiotics Laboratory, Advanced Science Institute, RIKEN, Saitama, Japan
  • 5Technical University Dortmund, Technical Biochemistry, Dortmund, Germany
  • 6Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
Further Information

Publication History

received October 29, 2009 revised March 10, 2010

accepted April 9, 2010

Publication Date:
19 May 2010 (online)

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Abstract

A key point in the biosynthesis of the antimalarial drug artemisinin is the formation of dihydroartemisinic aldehyde which represents the key difference between chemotype specific pathways. This key intermediate is the substrate for several competing enzymes, some of which increase the metabolic flux towards artemisinin, and some of which – as we show in the present study – may have a negative impact on artemisinin production. In an effort to understand the biosynthetic network of artemisinin biosynthesis, extracts of A. annua flowers were investigated and found to contain an enzyme activity competing in a negative sense with artemisinin biosynthesis. The enzyme Red1 is a broad substrate oxidoreductase belonging to the short chain dehydrogenase/reductase family with high affinity for dihydroartemisinic aldehyde and valuable monoterpenoids. Spatial and temporal analysis of cDNA revealed Red1 to be trichome specific. The relevance of Red1 to artemisinin biosynthesis is discussed.

Key words

Artemisia annua L. - Asteraceae - red1 - dihydroartemisinic aldehyde - reductase - dehydrogenase - trichome

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Prof. Dr. Oliver Kayser

Technische Universität Dortmund
Fakultät Bio- und Chemieingenieurwesen
AG Technische Biochemie

Gebäude G3, Büro 5.10 Emil-Figge-Str. 68

44227 Dortmund

Germany

Phone: + 49 (0) 23 17 55 74 87

Fax: +49 (0) 23 17 55 74 89

Email: oliver.kayser@bci.tu-dortmund.de